The U.S. Department of Education plays a vital role in higher education by establishing guidelines for government financial aid, allocating money, monitoring its utilization and promoting equitable access to education. It also manages student loans and encourages research and accountability.

In March, President Donald Trump’s administration announced major cuts to the Department of Education via numerous executive orders, pledging to lay off half the department’s workforce. Colorado State University currently receives over $436 million in annual federal funding.

According to CBS, “the agency’s workforce is being slashed from 4,133 workers to about 2,183. The reductions include 259 employees who accepted the Trump administration’s deferred resignation agreement.”

Important duties like analyzing financial records, assessing applications and investigating complaints may take longer as a result of fewer employees, meaning schools may find it more difficult to operate effectively and adhere to regulations.

As the cuts begin to take shape, concerns surrounding their impact on university operations and programming persist. If financial aid processing gets disrupted, students may face delays in receiving financial assistance through the Pell Grant. Additionally, the lack of department staffers could result in fewer protections for existing loan borrowers.

Limitations to the Department of Education’s workforce will affect higher education institutions nationwide, according to Brendan Davidson, a CSU political science doctoral candidate.

“Many low-income students rely on things like Pell Grants to afford college, but the administration has threatened to cut these funding streams if universities do not comply with its executive orders and views on diversity, equity and inclusion,” Davidson said. “That will affect students directly, as well as the composition of students on campus.”

“DEI makes CSU a better place to learn, and these actions by the Department of Education feel like an overreach of power that will continue to harm those who are already marginalized in society.” -Josh Barbre, CSU student

These risks have evolved from financial difficulties to challenges associated with the implementation of university programs rooted in diversity, equity and inclusion. Proponents of DEI policies in higher education say these cuts will potentially force university administrations to choose between receiving federal funding and maintaining DEI practices.

Josh Barbre, an undergrad student in the political science department, described DEI’s role in the CSU community.

“The Trump administration’s targeting of universities with DEI programs is fairly unprecedented,” Barbre said. “While past administrations have threatened to cut funding to schools for violations of civil rights law or certain guidelines, it has traditionally been done less frequently and on a smaller scale than what we’re currently seeing from the administration.”

The Department of Education was created in 1979 to supervise and assist education nationwide, and there have been continuous Congressional attempts to abolish it. Many Democrats have fiercely protested these actions, particularly in the Republican-controlled Senate. They contend that the agency is essential to upholding educational standards and guaranteeing that students have access to government funds.

The debate surrounding the department’s future is representative of broader discussions about the role of government in education and the most effective ways to assist institutions and students.

Sarah Haneke, a graduate teaching assistant also from CSU’s political science department, provided insight on the executive branch’s unprecedented move to dismantle a federal agency on this scale.

“The Department of Education was created by Congress and, therefore, can only be dissolved by Congress’ agreement to do so,” Haneke said. “This claim then violates the division of the three branches of government and is, by constitutional law, not possible.”

As the direction of the Department of Education remains uncertain, the higher education community is holding its breath. Davidson said that a college education is valuable because it aids in the development of the CSU community.

“I believe in an ‘enlightenment’ view of education, a school of thought (that) traces all the way back to Wilhelm von Humboldt, arguably the founder of the modern university system,” Davidson said. “In this respect, a university education is a value unto itself, as it helps students develop the aforementioned frameworks that can help them navigate the world. … An education doesn’t necessarily tell you ‘what to think.’ Rather, it gives guidance to students for how to choose what to think.”

Reach Natalee Garcia at news@collegian.com or on social media @CSUCollegian.